Hi Ian, I tried two pcs of 1602lcd, both have no words dispaly, maybe it's not LCD issue, is it possible the USB host shield PCB problem ? or ARDUINO MEGA1280 I/O D2~D7 problem? or , I re-upload the code again?

However some new microcopter projects now support 12ch PPM for all sorts of usefull features
a SPECIAL PPM fixed out firmware is available on request, ask for this when ordering,
or upgrade the RX your self is also possible, using a serial port level converter.

Would it be possible to support this? I'm planning on building one of these soon and I'd like to have as many channels as possible. My intention is to fly with one hand on the joystick and one on something else to control a gimbal pan/tilt. I'll have to modify the joystick to have the throttle near my thumb or something but I'm sure it can be done.

Would it be possible to support this? I'm planning on building one of these soon and I'd like to have as many channels as possible. My intention is to fly with one hand on the joystick and one on something else to control a gimbal pan/tilt. I'll have to modify the joystick to have the throttle near my thumb or something but I'm sure it can be done.

Hi,

Yes, 12ch is possible. As well as adding the extra channels necessary the timing of the existing channels would need adjusted. I don't know a lot about 12ch, but I believe repeat time should be less than 30mS, blank time should be more than 3.520 mS. Feel free to make the mods.

In saying that, the existing 8ch code is designed with a gimbal pan/tilt in mind. My own joystick has it set up this way, the thumb top hat used to control camera pan/tilt.

... and it works perfectly after first...ehm second....ehm ...after some trials.
But it works absolutely perfect: Thank you Jan!
Now I will connect TX board ( Corona modules from hobbyking) and then I will close everything in a plastic box
Wow
Paul

... and it works perfectly after first...ehm second....ehm ...after some trials.
But it works absolutely perfect: Thank you Jan!
Now I will connect TX board ( Corona modules from hobbyking) and then I will close everything in a plastic box
Wow
Paul

Hi Ian,
I have been following your original Arduino Nano (328) RC transmitter thread and now this thread. Your efforts have been very impressive and I have started to duplicate your USB version of your RC transmitter.
I have a Seeeduino Mega (Uno form factor) and one of the Circuits@Home USB shields put together along with a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick. Presently I am waiting on the arrival of a 16X2 parallel LCD so I cannot build the complete setup. However I did load the latest code on the Mega and connected up the joystick to the USB shield and took a look at the PPM output of the Mega.
I am using a Parallax Propscope computer driven oscilloscope to view the PPM. I am fairly new to the Propscope and could not get the scope to sync to the PPM output. However, using a manual trigger process, I was able to view changes in the PPM output for the ailerons, elevator, and rudder pulses so I know that the Mega is reading the joystick and creating PPM output.
I suspect the reason that I could not get the scope to sync to the PPM output has to do with programming the Mega RC program by using the LCD display to set the joystick input attributes? Your comments please.
Regards,
TCIII

I am using a Parallax Propscope computer driven oscilloscope to view the PPM. I am fairly new to the Propscope and could not get the scope to sync to the PPM output. However, using a manual trigger process, I was able to view changes in the PPM output for the ailerons, elevator, and rudder pulses so I know that the Mega is reading the joystick and creating PPM output.
I suspect the reason that I could not get the scope to sync to the PPM output has to do with programming the Mega RC program by using the LCD display to set the joystick input attributes? Your comments please.
Regards,
TCIII

Hi,

Great to see another build progressing, and if you can let see some pics.

Triggering the PPM output isn't straight forward, you will see it appear to jump around if you just use a simple edge trigger. What I do on my DSO is to trigger off the large sync space, therefore you get to see the first falling edge bang on the mark every time. Whether your scope allows you to do this I don't know.
PS. From that on my own DSO I can zoom in. Piccy below.

Hi Ian,
I received my 16X2 backlighted display yesterday and I wired it up to a general purpose Arduino Shield that I had laying around. I have the Arduino general purpose shield stacked on top of my Seeeduino Mega and the USB Shield is stacked on top of the Arduino general purpose shield. Attached are a couple of pictures of my setup. I plan to install the stack in a project box with a Spektrum DSM2 AIRMOD DM8 FUT which is a 2.4GHz plug-in module for converting Futaba R/C transmitters. I may have to buffer the output of your PPM signal to be compatible with the Spektrum AIRMOD DM 8.
Regards,
TCIII